Siding & Trim
High Performance Interview
In our previous videos we talked a lot about the building envelope or we sometime referred to it as the "box". Our emphasis is to always make this building envelope perform well when if comes to energy efficiency, air quality, & sustainability.
This of course has a lot to do with the building science but what we also must consider is the art or attractiveness of the building and its durability. In simple terms, we want it to look good & last a long time.
We have already discussed windows, doors, and skylights. So now we will turn our attention to the exposed foundation, the exterior walls, exterior trim, and roofing. How & with what to cover these area will
determine (along with the architectural style) how good the building looks.
Exposed concrete foundations can be protected & will be more pleasing to the "eye" if they are sprayed with a UV protected coating. We go into this in detail in our in-depth interviews on our web site.
Before applying the exterior finish on our wall system we must determine whether a moisture barrier building wrap is needed. With some systems such as Thermal Steel, this is not necessary. A more involved system of moisture
control is needed when the exterior finish is a form of Stucco.
What ever finish you select for your exterior walls, in a High Performance home, the material & workmanship must be of the highest quality. The reasoning here is that if it's done right you don't have to be redoing it.
The same criteria holds true for your exterior trim and your roofing materials. Dollars spent for high quality will save dollars and a lot of aggravation later.
The Exterior of a High Performance Home
